Could Ethel Le Neve Lie?

Crippen on third edit – rechecking data and adding detail, I returned to the contemporary newspaper cuttings from an old scrapbook and noticed a peculiarity. Crippen declared his wife’s death when he sent a telegram, 24th March, from Victoria Station to Clara Martinetti. It simply stated:
Belle died yesterday at six o’clock. Please phone to Annie. Shall be away a week. Peter.
(Clara knew Dr Crippen by the name Peter Crippen.)

But Lydia Rose (Ethel’s friend) stated that Ethel wrote to her about her marriage in early March:

Dear Lydia,
You will be very surprised to hear your old chum was quietly married last Saturday.
The letter went on to explain that they could not honeymoon until the Easter holiday and then they were going to Dieppe.
Lydia could have confused the dates. But her memory of timing was confirmed by Ethel’s sister, Adina, who said, “I was not altogether surprised when one Monday morning, early in March, I received a letter from Ethel :

Darling,
Just a brief note to tell you that we have gone and done it as the advertisement says. Consequently, I am feeling very happy.
The letter was addressed from Hilldrop Crescent. A little time afterwards the doctor and my sister went to Dieppe for the honeymoon.”

Ethel said she married on Saturday, which would make the probable ‘wedding’ date March 5th, and less likely, March 14th. Ethel also mentioned an advertisement – presumably a classified advertisement – or possibly a merchandising slogan. Could Ethel lie to the two people closest to her – her best friend and her sister? Perhaps she was an accomplished liar, or she did undergo a wedding ceremony – using a false name – and thereby lying to the registrar and the English authorities . . .
If Ethel wasn’t complicit in the subterfuge then Dr Crippen must have told his ‘true love’ a lie – several lies. Either way, the two fugitives told different stories resulting in Ethel apparently marrying Dr Crippen before his wife’s death. Or perhaps they already knew Dr Crippen’s wife was dead and buried – in the cellar – since February 1st. At least they hadn’t committed bigamy.
It seems rather a complicated ruse (and unnecessary) that Ethel extended to include her dressmaker. “In February she came with a large box, and said, ‘I want you to do a lot of work for me, because in six weeks time I am going to be married.’ There was one dress and quite a number of dress lengths; vieux rose, which I made into a costume; a glace silk, which I made into a Princess robe; and a mole-coloured shade, with a stripe, which I made up for her. She told me afterwards that she was married in the vieux rose.”

Ethel Le Neve and her strange invitations.

Ethel Le Neve sent her dressmaker, Miss Hargreaves, a letter enclosing a £1 postal order and asked her to call on Friday July 8th to deliver a coat her dressmaker was finishing.

 . . . We are going to Bournemouth or Eastbourne for a holiday.

Signed ‘Ethel Crippen’.

The dressmaker couldn’t keep the Friday appointment and arrived on Saturday. Of course, Ethel wasn’t at home. Nothing peculiar about that in isolation. On Friday, July 8th, Ethel requested Lydia Rose, her friend, visit her on Sunday 10th July but Lydia received a letter postmarked July 9th.

Dear Lydia Rose

Do not come up tomorrow.
Am not feeling well.
Am going away for a few days

Loving wishes,
Ethel.

Ethel Le Neve sent a postcard to her brother Sidney on the morning she disappeared with Dr Crippen
The card read:

Dear Sid

Please come up to night and stay over Sunday or come up early tomorrow morning to dinner.
Love to all,
Ethel.

Sid arrived at Hilldrop Crescent on Saturday July 8th as requested and the French maid, Valentine Le Coq, handed him a note:

 . . . I am very sorry, but I have been called away.
Love to all,
Ethel.

Ethel is purposely inviting people to call at ‘that’ weekend. Was this some plea for help, or perhaps a cynical demonstration of her innocence? If it were the latter then it means Ethel Le Neve was aware of some ‘peculiarity’ either in Crippen’s character or of the events of January 31st – March 1st.
Anyway, the upshot of these missives were that Walter Neave, Ethel’s father, visited 39, Hilldrop Crescent on Sunday, 10th July accompanied by William Long, Dr Crippen’s long-standing employee, and prior to Inspector’s revisit to 39, Hilldrop Crescent on July 11th. Walter claimed to be looking for two pictures he owned and with William Long searched, or at least, visited each room.

Crippen, Le Neve, Belle Elmore.

Newspaper clipping

Dr Crippen blamed

Ethel Le Neve, Walter Dew, Hawley Crippen

Newspaper clipping.